Personalized on-line printing and inserting magazine binding machine

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for handling signatures such as magazines or the like which includes the on-line printing of personalized information onto materials to be inserted within a finished magazine. The system also provides on-line printing of personalized information onto materials adhered to the magazine cover, such as the address label. The on-line printed materials and the magazine or other signature are combined after the on-line printing is completed. The system operates under control of a process computer which includes means for storing the personalized information.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No.810,051 filed June 27, 1977, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for handling preprintedsignatures such as magazines or the like and more particularly to anautomated system which includes the on-line printing of personalizedinformation onto materials to be inserted within a finished magazine.The system also provides for on-line printing of information onto themagazine cover or onto materials adhered thereto such as the addresslabel. The system provides for a momentary interruption in theconventional preprinted signature handling system in order to introducespecial material for personalized printing, such as card, into thesignature flow in order to utilize an on-line printing device, which maybe the conventional on-line label printing device.

In the following specification and claims, it is to be understood thatthe word "signature" includes any material assembled therefrom,including but not limited to, magazines, journals, periodicals,catalogs, directories, books and pamphlets.

There is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,917,252 assigned to the Assigneeherein, a method and apparatus which enables a magazine publisher toprovide different issues of a magazine containing different combinationsof advertising for different subscriber groups. This is accomplished bycausing the magazine to be made up from different combinations ofsignatures for different groups of subscribers. Operation of that systemis controlled from stored information based on known subscriber data.This system may also be used to prepare the subscriber's mailing labelas that same subscriber's magazine is being made up.

In U.S. Pat. No. 3,819,173 assigned to the Assignee herein, there isdisclosed a system which, in addition to producing different magazinesfor different subscribers, includes off-line or "beside-line" means forpunching and/or printing and inserting subscription renewal cards or thelike for selected individual subscribers as the subscribers magazine isbeing made up.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention carries forward the basic concepts employed in theaforementioned patents while providing a somewhat simplified andimproved system. The present system utilizes subscriber data for theon-line processing of materials to be inserted into particularmagazines. In particular such processing includes printing ofpersonalized information onto materials such as subscription renewalcards and the like for selected individual subscribers. The system alsoprovides for insertion of such materials into the completed subscriber'smagazine. The system controls the feeding of finished magazines to aconveyor to create a space or spaces adjacent a finished magazine forthe insertion of materials to receive on-line printing. The printing isthen applied as the card or other material moves along the conveyor andthe card is then collated with and inserted into the magazine.

Briefly, the invention provides an apparatus for collating preprintedsignatures and at least one card including conveyor means for movingpreprinted signatures and cards past a processing station. The conveyormeans has a plurality of chain spaces each of which is adapted toreceive either a printed signature or a card. Means are provided forfeeding preprinted signatures into the chain spaces and other means areprovided for feeding cards into the chain spaces. Control means areprovided for controlling the operation of the signature feed means andthe card feed means to feed either a signature or a card to a chainspace. Means are provided downstream of the processing station forpositioning a card that has moved through the processing station in achain space that has a signature located therein.

The invention also provides a method for collating preprinted signaturesand at least one card including the steps of providing a path having aseries of spaces, each adapted to receive a signature or a card, andmoving the path. Further steps includes the feeding of either asignature or a card to each space, processing the signatures and cardswhile they are in the moving path and positioning a card in a certainone of the spaces into a certain other space which contains a signature.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a system embodying the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the functional operation of thecomputer employed to control the operation of the system of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views of apparatus embodying the presentinvention, FIG. 3 illustrating the first half of the system shown inFIG. 1 and FIG. 4 illustrating the second half.

FIGS. 5 and 5a are an illustration of a shift register control systemwhich may be utilized in the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings and initially to FIG. 1, a systemembodying the present invention includes a conveyor 10 having a seriesof chain spaces 12 for the reception of signatures and/or inserts suchas cards or the like. The conveyor defines a path for moving thesignatures and inserts. At the entrance end of conveyor 10 there ispositioned a shuttle feeder 15 which receives signatures 18 such asmagazines or the like from a trimmer 20. It is normally the function ofsuch a feeder to feed a single signature to each chain space of conveyor10. Feeder 15, however, is operative under control of a process computer25 to feed a signature to or to withhold it from each chain space 12.This may be accomplished as shown in FIG. 1 by means of a drive unit 27which is operable to drive both conveyor 10 and, through a clutch 28,feeder 15. So long as clutch 28 is engaged, drive unit 27 causes feeder15 to deposit a signature in each moving chain space 12 of the conveyor.Clutch 28 may, however, be disengaged upon command from process computer25 to cause feeder 15 to withhold a signature and thereby create avacant chain space.

Downstream of shuttle feeder 15 is a label tipper 31 which is operableunder command from process computer 25 to adhere a blank label to asignature passing beneath it. The label tipper withholds a label for avacant chain space.

Further along conveyor 10 there are positioned a pair of feed heads 34,35 for feeding unlabeled inserts, usually cards, to vacant chain spacesupon command from process computer 25. The feeding of each card iscorrelated with the creation of a vacant chain space by withholding of asignature as described above. As a result the cards fed to vacant chainspaces may later be collated with the adjacent signatures.

An on-line processing station 38 is located downstream of card feedheads 34, 35 for the on-line processing of signatures and/or cardspassing along conveyor 10. As illustrated, the processing stationincludes an ink jet printing system 39 having a plurality of printingheads 40, four being shown. The printing system provides on-lineprinting of personalized information such as label and address data onthe cards and/or the labels which have been adhered to the signatures asthe cards and signatures move past the printing heads. The printingsystem 39 is operated under control of process computer 25 through anink jet printing control system 42. The information to be printed isprovided by magnetic tape information storage unit 44. The ink jetprinting system including the control system 42 is a commerciallyavailable item.

Following the processing station 38 along conveyor 10 are signatureopening guides 45 and a positioning means 47 for combining the cardsprinted on-line at printing station 38 with the correspondingsignatures. The guide 45 opens the signatures as they pass alongconveyor 10 to prepare them for insertion of the proper on-line printedcards and/or additional insert material.

One or more additional card insert heads 50, 51 are provided downstreamof the positioning means 47. These insert heads 50, 51 may be employedfor the insertion of preprinted cards or other material which may becommon to all signatures or which may be personalized to a particularsubscriber and correlated with the appropriate signature by processcomputer 25.

At the end of conveyor 10 the completed and labelled signatures whichmay be magazines, for example, are supplied to a stacker 55 where theyare stacked into bundles and sent on for further handling and shipping.In some cases the signatures may be diverted for special handling bymeans of divert gas 57, as where the signatures to be mailed tosubscribers having the same zip code are so few as to require specialhandling.

During the on-line feeding, printing and inserting operations describedabove, process computer 25 employs subscriber information provided frommagnetic tape unit 44. The computer also receives information from chainspace sensor 59 so as to synchronize instructions to the variousstations with movement of the conveyor. The chain sensor 59 may be, forexample, a photoelectric sensor which detects one or more index marks onthe moving conveyor. Computer 25 provides instructions at theappropriate time to enable the operations described above to be carriedout. The process computer may be a commercially available processcomputer, for example, a PDP 8. The information for each production runmay be fed to the process computer by the magnetic tape storage unit 44.The control tape is prepared to contain information provided bysubscribers and in machine readable form to enable the appropriatepersonalized information to be printed on the cards and signature labelsand to enable cards and signatures to be collated.

The control system may operate on the magnetic tape information indifferent ways depending upon the particular computer employed and theparticular programming of that computer. In general, however, thecontrol system performs the following functions:

1. Instructs the signature feeder 15 to withhold a signature if thatsignature is subsequently to receive a card with personalized printingthereon. If the signature is to receive a number of cards the feeder isinstructed to withhold the signature for that number of chain spaces.

2. Instructs the label tipper 31 to adhere a blank label onto asignature passing beneath it only if the chain space is to be occupiedby a signature.

3. Instructs card feed heads 34 and 35 to feed a card to each chainspace from which a signature was withheld.

4. Instructs the ink jet printing system to print personalizedinformation onto the appropriate cards and/or onto the previouslyadhered labels on the signatures.

5. Instructs the signature-card combining mechanism 47 to collate thecards where two cards have been fed.

6. Instructs the card insert heads 50, 51 to insert preprinted cardswhere such cards have personalized printing done off-line and are to becombined with specific signatures.

The foregoing functions may be coordinated by the process computer invarious ways, but FIG. 2 illustrates schematically the operationalfunctions of a computer to accomplish the desired results. Otherinternal computer arrangements may, of course, be utilized to achievethe same functional results.

As shown in FIG. 2, information is obtained from the magnetic tape unit24 by a read unit 60 and is transferred to buffer storage 62 andthereafter to the main memory of the computer. The information isassigned by a store instruct unit 65 to various blocks of addresses inmemory for use at the appropriate time. As shown, the instructions as tofeeding and withholding of signatures is located in a signature feedstore 67 while instructions regarding the remaining principal functionsare stored in the other stores identified as 69, 71, 73 75 and 77. Thepersonalized information to be printed is stored in block 73.

Information stored in the various units is transmitted to aread/instruct unit 81 which issues instructions to the appropriatesystem devices in accordance with the information obtained from thestorage units 67 et seq. A request for instructions for the nextsubscriber to be loaded into storage units may be made by read/instructunit 81 at the appropriate times via line 87. At any given time in theon-line printing run a number of different subscribers signatures may bein process. It is necessary, therefore, for the computer to issue theappropriate instructions to all of the devices in the system at eachconveyor position. Each location along the conveyor at which a device ispositioned and which requires instructions from the process computer maybe expressed in terms of chain spacings from the entrance to theconveyor. For example, the card feed head 34 may be located ten chainspacings downstream from the entrance to the conveyor.

During each position of the conveyor as determined by the location ofthe chain spaces with respect to, for example, the entrance to theconveyor the computer must determine and issue the appropriateinstructions to control the various devices. This information may beobtained from tape unit 44 and its use synchronized with informationfrom the chain space sensors 59. The chain space position informationfrom the chain sensors 59 may be provided to a sequencing register 89which communicates with the read/instruct unit 81. The sequencingregister causes unit 81 to read the next or appropriate set ofinstructions for the various devices and to provide instructions throughinput/output unit 85 to the various devices.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4 along with FIGS. 1 and 2, apparatusembodying the present invention illustrates the conveyor means 10 toinclude a signature conveyor 10a supported upon a base 102 and a cardconveyor 10b located above the signature conveyor. The conveyor 10b isformed by card supporting guides above the conveyor 10a and a pinprojecting upwardly from each chain space moves the cards along theguides as the chain space is moved by conveyor 10b. At the entrance endof conveyor 10a a signature feeder 15 is mounted on base 102. Signatures18 are fed to conveyor 10a and feeder 15 from a trimmer 20 (FIG. 1)along a feed conveyor 107. Signature feeder 15 operates as describedabove under control of the process computer to feed a signature to orwithhold it from conveyor 10a.

The label feeder and tipper 31 is supported above signature conveyor 10aand includes a supply of blank labels 106 and tipping means having anadhesive dispensing nozzle 108. The label feeder and tipper operates ina known manner to adhere a blank label onto a signature passing beneathit along conveyor 10a.

Downstream of label tipper 31 are card feed heads 34 and 35 supported onbase 102 above signature conveyor 10a and above the second or cardconveyor 10b. Card feed heads 34 and 35 each are provided with a supplyof cards or other material to receive personalized printing and to becombined with appropriate signatures. The feed heads 34 and 35 operatein a known manner and under intructions from process computer 25 to feeda card onto conveyor 10b in a chain space directly above andcorresponding to a vacant chain space in signature conveyor 10a whichwas created by withholding a signature from conveyor 10a. Since thechain spaces are vertically aligned they are sometimes referred to inthe singular as a chain space. Cards 109 may be fed to chain spaces byeither or both of feed heads 34 and 35 and it will be apparent thatadditional card feed heads may be provided if desired.

The ink jet printing system generally designated 39 is provided atprocessing station 38 for the on-line printing of personalizedinformation onto either a card 109 on conveyor 10b or onto the label ofa signature 18 moving along conveyor 10a. The printing system includes aplurality of printing heads 40, four being shown, for the printing offour lines of information onto a moving card or signature label. Thefour printing heads 40 are successively offset slightly one from theother to accommodate the spacing between lines of print. It will benoted that card conveyor 10b comprises parallel tracks 112 and 113 withan open space therebetween to allow printing on the signature labels 106on the lower signature conveyor 10a. Both the printing instructions andthe information to be printed are supplied from process computer 25through the printing control system 42.

After leaving printing station 38 with personalized information printedthereon, the cards and corresponding signatures are ready to becombined. This is accomplished by the positioning means 47. Thepositioning means includes an auxiliary conveyor 115, a divert gate 118between card conveyor 10b and auxiliary conveyor 115 and a card inserthead 120 between auxiliary conveyor 115 and signature conveyor 10a.Beneath auxiliary conveyor 115 and alongside conveyor 10a is a guide 45which opens each signature passing along conveyor 10a and retains itopen for insertion of cards. It is the function of auxiliary conveyor115, divert gate 118 and insert head 120 to take on-line printed cardsfrom conveyor 10b, combine the cards where more than one card is to beinserted into a particular signature and deliver the cards to inserthead 120 at the proper time for insertion into the appropriate opensignatures on conveyor 10a.

The divert gate 118 operates in a known manner to take a card 109 fromconveyor 10b and deliver it to auxiliary conveyor 115. If cards arepresent in adjacent chain spaces, the first card is diverted around drum125 and combined with the card in the next adjacent chain space. The twocards are then delivered together to auxiliary conveyor 115. The speedof auxiliary conveyor 115 is adjusted to be somewhat less than that ofsignature conveyor 10a so that a card is delivered to insert head 120 asthe open signature 18 which is to receive the card is approaching theinsert head. The insert head 120 operates in a known manner to receivecards from auxiliary conveyor 115 and insert them into the passingsignatures 18.

After leaving insert head 120 the signatures 18 contain the cards orother inserts having personalized information thereon which was printedon-line. If such cards are the only inserts for a particular signatureit will merely proceed down conveyor 10a and will close after leavingthe influence of guide 45. Additional off-line preprinted inserts may,however, be inserted into the signature by means of insert heads 50 and51 before the signature is closed. Each insert head 50, 51 includes astack of preprinted cards 130 which may be inserted into each passingsignature or, under control of the process computer, into only selectedsignatures.

After leaving the area of insert heads 50 and 51 and guide 45 signatures18 proceed along conveyor 10a to stacker 55 or to divert gate 57(FIG. 1) as described above.

In operation, signatures 18 are supplied to signature feeder 15sequentially. If a particular signature is to receive a number ofpersonalized cards, that signature is withheld from conveyor 10a for anumber of spaces corresponding to the number of cards to be received.The signature is then fed to the next chains pace of conveyor 10a. Asthe signature is moved along conveyor 10a label tipper 31 adheres alabel thereto.

Meanwhile, the vacant chain spaces created by withholding of thesignature are filled by feeding cards 109, 109a to the corresponding andvertically aligned chain spaces on card conveyor 10b. The card and thecorresponding signatures proceed along the conveyors to the printingstation 38 where the personalized information is printed onto the cardsand/or signature.

After leaving the printing station, the signatures continue alongconveyor 10a and pass beneath auxiliary conveyor 115 where they areopened by guide 45. The cards are directed from card conveyor 10b andare stacked if more than one card is to be inserted into the samesignature and are delivered to auxiliary conveyor 115. On the auxiliaryconveyor the cards are slowed and their position with respect to thecorresponding signature adjusted so that they are delivered to inserthead 120 at the proper time for insertion into that signature.

The signatures then proceed to the preprinted card insert head 50, 51where preprinted cards may also be inserted. Following insertion of anypreprinted cards, the signatures are stacked for shipping or divertedfor special handling as described above.

During the above operation, process computer 25 provides appropriateinstructions to each element in the system to cause that element tocarry out its function. While those skilled in the data processing artscan readily program known data processing equipment to provide thenecessary instructions to the machine from the foregoing disclosure, oneexemplary way of providing the intructions in the system as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2 is discussed above. This way involves formatting thesubscriber information on the tape to provide the necessary instructionsfor each of the sections of memory for instructing signature feed, labeltip, card feed, etc.

In one exemplary tape format, the subscriber instructions on tape forthe memory section 67 for signature feed instruct may use the codes 10,11 or 00. Either of the code containing a 1 indicates an inhibit while00 is the feed instruction and an end of instruction indication. Thepresence of the 10 code on tape results in a feed inhibit for two chainspace cycle and the 11 code for one cycle.

Upon reading the code 10, the read/instruct unit 81 would send out aninhibit signal to the signature feeder 15, add 1 to the code 10 andreturn the sum to the code memory location to be read again in the nextcycle. On the next reading, the computer will read 11 and once againwill inhibit the feed operation. It will again add 1 to the code in itsarithmetic unit and return 00, the last two bits of the sum, to the feedinstruct memory section to be read in the next cycle. In the next cyclethe computer will read 00 which signals that an inhibit is not to beissued and also that the instruction for the next subscriber is to beinserted into the signature feed instruct memory from the storeinstruct. The read/instruct unit 81 will direct the store instructsection 65 to load the next subscriber's information in the signaturefeed instruct memory section.

It will be understood that the data processor may use a scratch padmemory for registering the code to which it adds 1. In this case theprocessor will always check the scratch pad before reading memory forthe subcriber information. A flag bit may be associated with the code inscratch pad memory to enable the processor to determine that a code ispresent there.

A similar operation may be used for the label tip instruction employinga three bit code 010, 011, or 100. When the read/instruct unit 81 reads010, it will add 1 to the code and return the sum to the memory section(or to the scratch pad) for reading in the next cycle. When the sum 011is read on the next cycle the computer will again add 1 to produce thecode 100 and return that to the memory section. On the next cycle, whichis when the signature will appear at the label tip station since twochain spaces have been reserved for card inserts, the unit will read thecode 100 and will issue instructions to tip the signature. The presenceof the 1 is required for a tip instruction. The two zeros in the firsttwo bit positions will indicate that the number is not to be returned tomemory and the computer will request the store-instruct 65 to load thelabel tip instruction register 69 with instructions for the nextsubscriber.

Since the label tipper 31 is downstream of the signature feeder 15, adelay corresponding to the number of chain spaces from the signaturefeeder to the label tipper must be provided. Further, it is clear thatthe label tip instruction memory 69 should have enough storage capacityto store subscriber information corresponding to the number of chainspaces from the signature feeder to the label tipper. This is readilyaccomplished by using memory. For example, if 10 chain spaces is theproper delay then 10 additional storage locations are used to providethe delay. The first subscriber information is loaded into memory in thelocation following the 10 "delay" storage locations. On the first 10cycles the first 10 storage locations will be read which will have beeninitialized to all zeros. As each location is read the double zero willindicate that new subscriber information is to be inserted. Dependingupon the type of memory the first subscriber's information can beshifted down one storage location on each cycle and the followingsubscriber's information loaded. Or, as will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art, address generation may be used to move pointers tothe proper storage locations and to write the new subscriber informationsequentially into the next storage location.

The card feed instruct memory 71 is divided into two memory sections,one for the first card insert station 34 and one for the second cardinsert station 35. The information formatted for each card insertstation will be one of the codes 010, 011, or 100. Card insert station34 will be instructed to insert in response to the code 011 and station35 on the code 010. However, the mode of operation is essentially thesame as described with respect to the other memory sections. If twocards are to be inserted for the particular subscriber, the secondinsert station 34 will insert on the first cycle and the first insertstation 35 will insert on the second cycle. Accordingly the code on tapefor both stations is 010. The first card is inserted by station 35 onthe first chain space cycle in response to the code 010. Theread/instruct unit 81 reads the code 010 for each station, instructsstation 35, adds 1 to the code and returns the sum to the memorysection. On the next cycle unit 81 will read 011 for each station whichwill effect the insertion by station 34 of the second card in thefollowing chain space. In each case, after reading the code 011 thecomputer will again add 1 to it to form the code 100 and return it tothe memory section since the computer has not yet seen two zeros in thefirst two bit positions. On the next cycle the read/instruct unit 81will read the two zeros and signal the store instruct to insert newinformation into the memory. This will bring the next subscriber'sinformation into the readout position or modify the address generatorsto read the subscriber information immediately following the justcompleted subscriber's information.

When only one card is to be inserted it may be at either card insertstation 34 or 35 and in either case it will be in the first cycle. Sincestation 34 responds to the code 011 and station 35 does not this codefor both stations will provide the desired result if the card is to beinserted by station 34. If the card is to be inserted by station 35 thecode 011 is used which instructs only station 35 to insert on the firstcycle. The 1 in the most significant bit position indicates that 2rather than 1 should be added to make the sum 000 on the next cycle. The00 code again indicates readiness for the next subscriber information.

The code 10 is used to instruct the collator 47 to combine the first andsecond cards. This instruction only occurs when there are two cardswhich means the subscriber has three allotted chains. Accordingly when adivert is needed, the tape will always be formatted with 10. When thecode 10 effects instruction, it will be incremented by 1 on each cycleand returned to memory until the computer sees the code 00 toaccommodate the fact that there are three chain spaces alloted to thissubscriber.

The instruction code for the preprinted card insert stations 50 and 51will each be formatted in a manner similar to the label tip instructcode since one or both cards must be inserted only into the chain spacecontaining the signature. When the code has 00 in the first two bitpositions which indicates that new subscriber information is to follow,the particular station must be instructed to insert or not insert. Thisis done by the presence of a 1 in the third bit position as was done inthe case of the label tip instruction.

The information to be printed on the cards and/or signature is formattedin a somewhat different way than described above. Depending on theparticular reader and tape format, the information may beneficially beplaced as the last information on the tape for that subscriber to allowthe position of the other instruction codes on tape to indicate theparticular memory section for which they are intended. After all memorysections have been filled for a given subscriber, it would then beapparent that any following information is for the print station.

Each subscriber magazine may have alotted to it from none to twopostcard chain spaces as well as a signature space. If one or more cardsare present printing may be desired on any one of the cards or anycombination of the cards and signature. Accordingly, the system must notonly accommodate the very number of card spaces but must alsoaccommodate the fact that the printing may go on any combination ofcards. As readily recognized by those skilled in the art, this may beaccomplished by formatting the tape so that if there is more than onearticle, card or signature to be printed upon, the respective printinginformation is placed into successive storage locations so as to be readin the order in which it will be printed by the print station. Forexample, if two postcards and the signature are each to receive printedinformation, the store instruct will read the three lines of informationand place them in three different successive storage locations in memoryfor print instructions in the order they are to be printed. In thiscase, it would be information for the first postcard inserted by station35, information for the second postcard inserted by station 34, and thenthe signature information.

If the subscriber's magazine is utilizing three chain spaces which meansthree possible printings there will be three codes on the tape. Eachcode will indicate print or do not print for its respective card orsignature. The print code will have the information to be printedassociated with it. The read/instruct unit will read the respectivecodes in the proper order on consecutive machine cycles and issue theprint or don't print instructions contained therein. In this mode ofoperation the next print memory location is always read on the nextmachine cycle.

While an exemplary manner of programming a computer, it will beunderstood that a computer is not necessary to practice the invention aswill be obvious to those skilled in the art. For example, the entiremachine format for each cycle of operation could be formatted on thetape and read by the machine each cycle. Obviously, with the subscriberinformation available one could assign successive chain spaces tocertain subscribers and lay out the precise operation for each stationfor each cycle of operation of the machine. This information could becoded on tape in the form of operate or do not operate instructions foreach station in each cycle. The tape would then merely be synchronizedwith the machine to be indexed each cycle with the operation of themachine.

Similarly, the subscriber information could be coded in what might betermed source language and translated into language used by the machinein a manner fully described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,668,653. Moreover, byusing various decoding arrays, the mere indication on tape of whether ornot a card is to be inserted at each of the stations 34 35 could be usedto derive appropriate instructions for most of the other stations.Information for printing and for insertion of preprinted cards wouldalso have to be on tape.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that a simple shiftregister memory system may be utilized. In such a system, an eightchannel tape 44' may be used. For each subscriber three channels of thetape, A, B, C, are utilized for three bit station codes which controlthe operation of the respective station and eight channels are used forinformation to be printed or control codes.

For the station codes a 1 is placed in one of the channels A, B, C toeffect operation of the stations. The channel in which the 1 occurs inthe signature feed code will indicate the spaces allocated to thesubscriber, a signature only or spaces for the signature and 1 or 2 cardinserts by stations 34, 35. A 0 bit in channels A, B, or C in thestation code indicates that there is no operation to be performed by thestation on a space allotted to the subscriber or no space has beenallocated insofar as channels B and C are concerned.

If there is only one chain space allocated to the subscriber, forexample if a subscriber is to receive only the signature with nopostcards inserted by the card inserting stations 1 and 2, all the 1'sfor the stations for that subscriber will be in channel A and all theother channels will have 0's.

If the subscriber is to be allocated two chain spaces, then thesignature feed 1 will be in channel B with an 0 in channel A and theother stations may have a 1 or 0 in either channel A, channel B, or bothdepending upon whether the station is to perform an operation on thechain space ahead of the signature space, the signature space, or both.If the stations are not to perform any operation then all zeros willappear. All stations will have zeros in channel C since only two chainspaces are allotted.

When three chain spaces are allotted, it will be clear from theforegoing that the signature feed insert 1 will appear in channel C and1'will appear in eithers channels A, B or C for the other stationsdepending on the chain space at which an operation is to be performed bythe station with all stations having a 1 in only one of the threechannels except for the print station which is capable of printing on anitem in any of the chain spaces and may have as high as three 1's, thatis, a 1 in each of the channels A, B and C. The tape in FIG. 5 has beencoded in accordance with the above for feeding cards at stations 1 and 2and for printing to occur on only the second line of the card insertedby the firt station.

The print information is the last information on the tape for asubscriber to enable the positioning of the codes on the tape toindicate the particular station for which the information is intendedwithout applying station codes. When the tape reader reads the last codefor station operation, it knows that the following information is theinformation to be printed. Each subscriber block may have a subscriberend code on the tape to inform the tape reader as to the end of printinformation.

Since there are four heads at the print station to print four lines, theparallel coded print information on the tape which is in a conventional8 bit code for each character, will have an end of line code for eachline which will indicate that the following information is for thesecond line, the third line, and the fourth line, in sequence. Theinformation when read is stored and is loaded in parallel into printmemories 73a, 73b, 73c, 73d, one for each line of printing so that ifonly one line, for example, is to be printed, it will be printed in thefirst print head and the other three print registers will be empty ofprint data. If there is no printing on the other lines, the tape willhave a no print code formatted for the line which will be detected atthe print station when reading the print-memory for the line.

Referring to FIG. 5, the 8 channel tape 44' is illustrated toaccommodate the 8 bit print codes as well as the three bit operatecodes. The tape reader 60' sends the subscriber information codes inparallel to a store instruct circuit 65' which will direct the codes insequence to the signature feed shift register 67', the label tipregister 69', the first card insert register 71a, the second card insertregister 71b, the divert register 75', the preprinted card registers(omitted from FIG. 5 for simplicity) and subsequently to the print shiftregister 73'. Following the loading of the print codes, the printinformation which will then be directed to the line print memories 73a,73b, 73c, 73d to load the print information in sequence into thememories. The last code for a line of printed information will be an endof line code so that when read, the following print information for thenext line will be loaded into the next print line memory. The tape willhave a no print code on it for each line not to be printed and thesewill be loaded into the corresponding print memory to indicate noprinting on that line and will be recognized as an end of line code.

To instruct the signature feed station only requires a three bit shiftregister in the illustrated embodiment, i.e., one bit for each possiblespace allocated to the subscriber. The data from channels C, B, A isloaded into the first, second and third stages respectively of the shiftregister 67'. If the subscriber is to have a signature fed and no cardsat card station 1 or 2, a signature feed instruct, a 1 from channel A,will be loaded in the third or last stage of the shift register and zerowill be in the other stages. The shift register is clocked once in eachmachine cycle and when a 1 is shifted from the third stage of theregister, the register will set an index flip/flop 100 to indicate thatthe signature has been fed to cause the tap index to read the nextsubscriber information. Since the signature feeders operate unlessinhibited, the digit one here signifies that the feeder is not to beinhibited.

If the subscriber has two or three chain spaces alloted, the 1 for thesignature feeder will be loaded from channel B or C respectively in thesecond or first stage of shift register so that the feeder is inhibitedfor the first or the first and second chain spaces and operates on thesecond or third chain space for the subscriber.

In the case of the label tip station, as well as the other stationregister, the instruct information is read into the first three stagesof the register in the same manner as the signature feed. That is, ifthe station is to operate on the first chain space for the subscriber,the 1 will appear in the third stage of the shift register so that it isshifted through the register in advance of any information in channels Bor C. However, the shift register is provided with a delay section afterthe third stage with a number of stages corresponding to the machinecycles required for the 1 from the third stage to be shiftedsynchronously with the movement of the chain space to the label tipstation. As explained above, in the case of both the label tip and thesignature feed instruction, if two pockets are assigned, the 1 will beloaded from channel B into the second stage of the shift register whileif three spaces are assigned the 1 will be loaded from channel C intothe first stage of the register.

Similarly, the other station shift registers 71', 73', 75' and 77' havethe first three digit spaces for loading the instructions into the shiftregister and the appropriate delay. In each case, except for theprinting station, a 1 will appear in only one of the first three stagesdepending upon whether the operation is to be performed upon the first,second or third subscriber spaces advancing through the station.

As also explained, the print operate register may have no ones in thefirst three stages or one, two or three ones depending on whether or notthe printing is to occur on one, two or three items assigned to thesubscriber.

In the case of a subscriber with two chain spaces allotted, the secondcard insert station 35 may be required to insert the postcardimmediately ahead of the signature space rather than the firt cardinsert station 34. The format above readily accommodates the situation.Only channels A and B will be information channels in this situationwith the tape formatted with a 1 in channel B for the signature insertfeeder and the label tipper and in channel A for a second card insertstation 35 with zeros appearing for all of the other stations except asa print operation is to be performed or a preprinted card is to beinserted into the signature. It will be noted that for the preprintedcard insert stations 50, 51, the 1 for directing operation of thepreprinted card insert for a subscriber will always be in the samechannel on the tape as the 1 for the signature feed insert. Similarly,it will be noted that the 1 for controlling the divert gate will alwaysappear in channel A and will only be present when two cards are beinginserted by the first two card insert stations. This is true because thedivert gate is only used to collate the second card inserted to thefirst card inserted so as to move the two together for insertion intothe signature. The card insert station 120 needs no instruction since itcan merely operate on a cycle basis.

During operation, the shifting of a 1 from signature feed instructregister will dictate the feed of a signature. This also indicates thatthe store instruct is to load new subscriber information into theinstruct memories for the next subscriber. The flip flop 100, as notedabove, is set each time a one is read from the feed instruct register67' to initiate the loading of the next subscriber information. Thesignal from the flip flop initiates the reading of the tape each time itis set and the store instruct circuit 65' distributes the data in themanner above described. The tape reader resets the flip flop 100 when itcompletes the reading of the information.

While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been disclosedand described in detail herein, it will be apparent to those skilled inthe art that changes and modifications may be made to the embodimentspecifically disclosed without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention. Accordingly, this invention is not to be limited to thespecific form and embodiment disclosed herein nor in any other mannerinconsistent with the progress in the art promoted by the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. Apparatus for collating preprinted signatures andat least one card comprisinga station for processing preprintedsignatures and cards, conveyor means for moving preprinted signaturesand cards past said processing station, said conveyor means having aseries of chain spaces each of which is adapted to receive either aprinted signature or a card, signature feeding means for feedingpreprinted signatures into said chain spaces, card feeding means forfeeding cards into said chain spaces, control means for controlling saidsignature feeding means and said card feeding means to withold asignature from and feed a card to one chain space and feed a signatureto another chain space, and means located downstream of said processingstation for positioning a card that moved through said processingstation from said one chain space into said another chain space having asignature located therein.
 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 whereinsaid conveyor means comprises a signature conveyor and a card conveyorhaving corresponding chain spaces, said control means controlling saidsignature feeding means and said card feeding means to feed either asignature to a chain space of said signature conveyor or a card to acorresponding chain space of said card conveyor.
 3. Apparatus as claimedin claim 2 wherein said card conveyor guides said cards through saidprocessing station to said positioning means, and said conveyor and saidsignature conveyor being so arranged as to permit processing at saidprocessing station of a card on said card conveyor or of a signature onsaid signature conveyor.
 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein saidcard conveyor is positioned above said signature conveyor and includes acentral opening to permit processing of signatures therebelow. 5.Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means at saidprocessing station for printing personalized information onto said cards.[.and.]. .Iadd.or said .Iaddend.signatures under control of saidcontrol means as said cards and signatures pass said processing station.6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said printing means comprisesan ink jet printing system.
 7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 whereinsaid control means instructs said signature feeding means to withhold asignature from said one chain space only if said signature is to receivea processed card at said positioning means.
 8. Apparatus as claimed inclaim 1 wherein said control means instructs said card feeding means tofeed a card to a chain space only if a signature has been withheld fromsaid chain space.
 9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including means fordetecting the position of a chain space on said conveyor means and forproviding information to said control means regarding said position, andwherein said control means utilizes said information to track individualsignatures and corresponding cards.
 10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1wherein said positioning means comprises means for positioning a cardfor insertion into a signature in said another chain space intended toreceive said card, means for diverting card from said conveyor means tosaid insertion positioning means, and means for inserting said card intosaid signature as said signature moves along said conveyor means. 11.Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said means for positioning acard for insertion includes an auxiliary conveyor onto which said cardis diverted, said auxiliary conveyor moving said card at a rate withrespect to said conveyor mean such that said card is positioned at theend of said auxiliary conveyor for insertion into said signature in saidanother chain space intended to receive said card. .[.
 12. A method forcollating preprinted signatures and at least one card comprising thesteps ofproviding a path having a series of spaces each adapted toreceive a signature or a card, moving said spaces in said path,withholding a signature from and feeding a card to one of said spacesand feeding a signature to another of said spaces, processing saidsignatures and cards while they are moving in said path, and positioninga card from said one of said spaces into said another of said spacescontaining a signature..]. .[.13. A method as claimed in claim 12wherein the step of providing a path includes the steps of providingseparate path segments for signatures and for cards, said path segmentshaving corresponding spaces for receiving either a signature on saidsignature path segment or a card on said card path segment..]. .[.14. Amethod as claimed in claim 12 wherein a signature is withheld from and acard is fed to a particular space only if that card is to be positionedafter processing in a space occupied by said signature..].
 15. A methodas claimed in claim .[.12.]. .Iadd.22 .Iaddend.wherein the steps ofprocessing .Iadd.said .Iaddend.signatures .[.and.]. or cards comprisesprinting personalized information onto said signatures .[.and.]..Iadd.or said .Iaddend.cards moving in said path.
 16. A method asclaimed in claim .[.12.]. .Iadd.22 .Iaddend.wherein the step ofpositioning a card from said one space into said another spacecontaining a signature comprises the steps of diverting said card fromsaid path, positioning said card for insertion into said spacecontaining a signature and inserting said card into said spacecontaining a signature.
 17. A method as claimed in claim .[.12.]..Iadd.22 .Iaddend.further comprising the steps of determining thelocation along said path of signatures and cards and controlling saidprocessing and said positioning in response to the location of certaincards and certain signatures at certain locations along said path.
 18. Asystem for on-line processing and combining of preprinted signatures andinserts therefor comprising:conveyor means for carrying said signaturesand inserts, said conveyor means having a series of chain spaces forreceiving either a signature or an insert, means for feeding preprintedsignatures onto said chain spaces, means for feeding inserts onto saidchain spaces, means along said conveyor means for processing signatures.[.and cards.]. .Iadd.or inserts .Iaddend.moving along said conveyormeans.Iadd., .Iaddend. storage means for storing and providinginformation to said processing means as to the processing of saidsignatures .[.and.]. .Iadd.or .Iaddend.inserts, means located downstreamof said processing means for positioning an insert from one of saidchain spaces into another of said chain spaces having a signaturelocated therein, and control means connecting said storage means withsaid conveyor means, said signature feeding means, said insert feedingmeans and said processing means for instructing the .[.witholding.]..Iadd.withholding .Iaddend.of a signature and the feeding of an insertto said one chain space, the feeding of a signature to said anotherchain space and the processing of said signatures and inserts inaccordance with information in said storage means.
 19. A system asclaimed .[.from.]. .Iadd.in .Iaddend.claim 18 wherein said processingmeans includes printing means for personalized on-line printing ofinformation provided by said storage means onto said inserts .[.and.]..Iadd.or .Iaddend.signatures moving on said conveyor means.
 20. A systemas claimed in claim 18 wherein said control means instructs the feedingof inserts to chain space which are adjacent signatures intended toreceive said inserts in accordance with information provided by saidstorage means.
 21. A system as claimed in claim 20 wherein saidpositioning means includes means for positioning an insert for insertioninto an adjacent chain space having a signature located therein, meansfor diverting inserts from said conveyor means to said insertionpositioning means, and means for inserting said diverted insert intosaid adjacent chain space having a signature located therein. .Iadd. . Amethod for collating preprinted signatures and at least one cardcomprising the steps ofproviding a single linear series of consecutivespaces each adapted to receive a signature or a card, moving saidconsecutive spaces in a single path, withholding a signature from andfeeding a card to one of said consecutive spaces and feeding a signatureto another different consecutive space, processing said signatures orsaid cards while they are moving in said single path, and positioning acard from said one of said consecutive spaces into said anotherdifferent consecutive space containing a signature.